Graduation
by Kanye West
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 1249 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,109 out of 1249
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 1249
  3. Negative: 98 out of 1249

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  1. cookie_14smith
    Nov 9, 2007
    6
    its not that good it hought he should have neva came out wit anything normally i dnt care bout his song but its not as good as it normally is i could be worng and nobody agrees wit me but all i got to say he sho is a whole lot betta den 50 cent cd
  2. AliA
    Oct 1, 2007
    6
    Kanye's "Graduation" is exactly like he mentions on the first track of the album, "And yes, barely pass any and every class" Yes kanye you did just that. His 3rd album's lyrics are the least thought provoking and kanye chooses once again to take the route of "but I'm doing songs with artists who arent in hop hop!" just like he did on his last album but this time the results Kanye's "Graduation" is exactly like he mentions on the first track of the album, "And yes, barely pass any and every class" Yes kanye you did just that. His 3rd album's lyrics are the least thought provoking and kanye chooses once again to take the route of "but I'm doing songs with artists who arent in hop hop!" just like he did on his last album but this time the results are not there. Graduation is by no means a bad album but something that was overhyped. You will listen to this CD for a few days at most and get tired of all the songs, none of the tracks stand out as classics. Here to hoping that kanye's "master degree" or his next album will be in something besides medicore music.… Expand
  3. TristonT.
    Oct 2, 2007
    4
    Kanye West cd is not that great at all i mean the only songs i really like are flashing lights, goodlife and cant tell me nothing, thats it the other songs it just bores me. im really pissed off becuz all these critics are giving it 90's. The best album of the year is Chamillioniare Ultimate Victory. i can actually listen to the whole cd from beginning to end and still be awake. Man Kanye West cd is not that great at all i mean the only songs i really like are flashing lights, goodlife and cant tell me nothing, thats it the other songs it just bores me. im really pissed off becuz all these critics are giving it 90's. The best album of the year is Chamillioniare Ultimate Victory. i can actually listen to the whole cd from beginning to end and still be awake. Man critics are trippin.… Expand
  4. RichardJ.
    Sep 11, 2007
    4
    This album is not very good is fact number 1 and 50 ' s is in the same field Number 2, It is like Kingdom Come by Jay-Z nice clean production, nice layering in parts but no balls Fact 3 Another factor the songs are monotous, boring and fairly uninteresting, whereas Both College dropout and Late registartion had some great productions on this album i can't tel you one what stands This album is not very good is fact number 1 and 50 ' s is in the same field Number 2, It is like Kingdom Come by Jay-Z nice clean production, nice layering in parts but no balls Fact 3 Another factor the songs are monotous, boring and fairly uninteresting, whereas Both College dropout and Late registartion had some great productions on this album i can't tel you one what stands out as a KAyne classic-sronger is not a classic and makes me wonder how he can get away with one of the most borign porductions he has done Fact 4 This album is lazy, and clearly overhyped, Kayne is better then this , he shpuld have wokred on it more, no british reivews added here and i know why as they would put the score down on this album 2 out of 5 guardian and others to name the score of four is that i believe kayne can do a better album nnd I liek Kaynes music (i don;t hate him so it is horribel for me to slate him) everything i am. i wonder and electricity nights are good jams..… Expand
  5. JamalS.
    Sep 12, 2007
    5
    Better than 50 Cent, sure, but the album is still thoroughly mediocre. Ironically, the best songs come from DJ Toomp's production; his epic hooks fit especially well with Kanye's slow, enunciated flow. Get "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Big Brother", skip the rest.
  6. ShaanS.
    Sep 23, 2007
    5
    Hands down Kanye's worst album, no substance, no lyrics, the only thing that saves this album is the production quality. In College Dropout we saw a glimpse of a lyrically qualified West, but each album seems to get worse, as if Kanye's book of rhymes has dried up. Please take some time off Mr.West or stick to producing until you can come up with higher quality lyrics, after all Hands down Kanye's worst album, no substance, no lyrics, the only thing that saves this album is the production quality. In College Dropout we saw a glimpse of a lyrically qualified West, but each album seems to get worse, as if Kanye's book of rhymes has dried up. Please take some time off Mr.West or stick to producing until you can come up with higher quality lyrics, after all you are making a Hip-Hop album.… Expand
  7. KevinD.
    Nov 22, 2008
    4
    This album is average at best. It only has four good songs. It will not be an album that lasts. Kanye's work has gotten progressively worse. I don't know what's causing it, but he needs to get it back together or go back to being a producer. If this was his first album, then nobody would be talking about Kanye. And don't let me get started on 808 and heartbreaks.
  8. JimJam
    Sep 12, 2007
    4
    Not great not bad. Overall it pales in comparison to the previous two albums.
  9. CalR
    Feb 20, 2012
    5
    My initial love for this album faded only too quickly, now with 'Flashing Lights' and 'I Wonder' adding any replay value to what essentially is an over-hyped, over-stuffed and less endearing offering from Kanye.
  10. TylerU-Turn
    Sep 13, 2007
    6
    Sounds about right.
  11. KanyeWest
    Sep 11, 2007
    6
    i love puffy and i want to be just like him. i like having the samples overshadow my voice and my beats because if it werent for the samples nobody would know who i am.
  12. RexJ.
    Sep 22, 2007
    6
    I dont see why people are rating this album so high. I admit there are 5 or 6 solid songs, the other half is very bland filler.
  13. IlyaR
    Nov 28, 2007
    6
    The NME review mostly had it right. There are some sick songs on this album (And "Stronger" is honestly about as good as any single he ever put out), but the album is neither forward moving nor exciting. "Late Registration" is an album you pop in a long, non-stop drive, fully immersing yourself in its soulful funk and brilliant lyrics. "Graduation" is an album from which two or three The NME review mostly had it right. There are some sick songs on this album (And "Stronger" is honestly about as good as any single he ever put out), but the album is neither forward moving nor exciting. "Late Registration" is an album you pop in a long, non-stop drive, fully immersing yourself in its soulful funk and brilliant lyrics. "Graduation" is an album from which two or three songs make it into your Ipod playlist.… Expand
  14. NolanLundgaard
    Apr 7, 2020
    4
    Graduation by Kanye West: 3.78

    Good Morning: 0.75 Champion: 1 :) Stronger: 1 :) I Wonder: 1 Good Life: 0.75 Can’t Tell Me Nothing: 0.75 Barry Bonds: 0 Drunk and Hot Girls: 0 Flashing Lights: 0.25 Everything I Am: 0.25 The Glory: 0.5 Homecoming: 0.75 Big Brother: 1 8/13 ~ .615 -> 3.78 Harder, better, faster, and stronger, this Kanye album manages to be the best I’ve    Graduation by Kanye West: 3.78

    Good Morning: 0.75
    Champion: 1 :)
    Stronger: 1 :)
    I Wonder: 1
    Good Life: 0.75
    Can’t Tell Me Nothing: 0.75
    Barry Bonds: 0
    Drunk and Hot Girls: 0
    Flashing Lights: 0.25
    Everything I Am: 0.25
    The Glory: 0.5
    Homecoming: 0.75
    Big Brother: 1

    8/13 ~ .615 -> 3.78

    Harder, better, faster, and stronger, this Kanye album manages to be the best I’ve reviewed from him so far even though this album is far from being a champion in my eyes. A few factors drag down the overall score to deep in the yellow, and Graduation beats out JESUS IS KING by a mere 0.01 points. This is not because the messages behind Kanye’s music is better in Graduation (because they’re not) but because of the musicality. I don’t usually listen to rap, so I kind of have to analyze it differently than other types of music, but I still greatly appreciate it (and rate it positively) if the music is good. Because of this, I would actually add a Kanye song to my playlist for the first time. The song Stronger in particular is so good and I liked both the music and its message. I only wish I could say the same for the rest of the songs, since Graduation loses a bunch of points for extensive use of strong/offensive language and weird music dynamics, which have become a theme in Kanye’s music (although better here than in JESUS IS KING). Thus, I have mixed results about this album, and this can be seen through the rating I give it. Highlights: Champion, Stronger, I Wonder, and Big Brother.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best Album of 2007
8
#8 Most Discussed Album of 2007
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. The New York Times
    Feb 9, 2011
    70
    Nearly every song on Graduation is memorable for both its hooks and its overall sound.
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  2. AllMusic
    80
    Graduation is neither as bold nor as scattered as "The College Dropout," and it's neither as extroverted nor as sonically rich as "Late Registration." Kanye still makes up for his shortcomings as an MC and lyricist by remaining charmingly clumsy, frequently dealing nonsense through suspect rhyme schemes.
    Read full review
  3. Billboard
    80
    An impressively creative hip-hop album that will hopefully inspire West's peers to try new sonic avenues.
    Read full review
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